gee.

"Absolutely," she repeated bravely.

"Then, sir," announced the old man crushingly, "you are little better
than a thief, and this girl is your accomplice."

"So it must look, on the face of it," assented Magee. The girl moved to
the big front door, and Magee, with his eyes still on the room, backed
away until he stood beside her. He handed her his key.

"I give you," he said, "to the gods of the mountain. But it's only a
loan--I shall surely want you back. I can't follow ten feet behind, as I
threatened--it will be ten hours instead. Good night, and good luck."

She turned the key in the lock.

"Billy Magee," she whispered, "yours is a faith beyond understanding. I
shall tell the gods of the mountain that I am to be--returned. Good
night, you--dear."

She went out quickly, and Magee, locking the door after her, thrust the
key into his pocket. For a moment no one stirred. Then Mr. Max leaped up
and ran through the flickering light to the nearest window.

There was a flash, a report, and Max came back into the firelight
examining a torn trousers leg.

"I don't mean to kill anybody," explained Mr. Magee. "Just to wing them.
But I'm not an expert--I might shoot higher than I intend. So I suggest
that no one else try a break for it."

"Mr. Magee," said Miss Thornhill, "I don't believe you have the
slightest idea who that girl is, nor what she wants with the money."

"That," he replied, "makes it all the more exciting, don't you think?"

"Do you mean--" the professor, exploded, "you don't know her? Well, you
young fool."

"It's rather fine of you," remarked Miss Thornhill.

"It's asinine, if it's true," the professor voiced the other side of it.

"You have said yourself--or at least you claim to have said--" Mr. Magee
reminded him, "one girl like that is worth a million suffragettes."

"And can make just as much trouble," complained Professor Bolton. "I
shall certainly see to it that the hermit's book has an honored place in
our college library."

Out of the big chair into which he had sunk came the wail of the
uncomprehending Cargan:

"He's done this thing to me--after all I've done for him."

"I hope every one is quite comfortable," remarked Mr. Magee, selecting a
seat facing the crowd. "It's to be a long wait, you know."

There was no answer. The wind roared lustily at the windows. The
firelight flickered redly on the faces of Mr. Magee's prisoners.

CHAPTER XVII

THE PROFESSOR SUMS U